PERTH, Australia Briton Richard Burns said on Monday that the decision to disqualify victorious Tommi Makinen from the rally of Australia had cost him his own chance of winning the World Drivers' Championship for the first time.
Marcus Gronholm was handed victory after fellow Finn Makinen, who had finished first, was excluded because of an illegality on the turbocharger of his Mitsubishi.
Peugeot driver Gronholm now has a nine-point lead over Subaru's Burns with only next week's British rally in Cardiff remaining.
Gronholm just needs to finish in the points to take over from Makinen as champion.
"The decision to exclude Tommi has made it even harder for me but I am still confident I will win in Cardiff," Burns said.
"If Marcus produces the same kind of form and has the same look and similar reliability that he has had all season then I don't have much chance because for sure he will be in the top six in Great Britain." Burns, who will be aiming for a third successive victory in the event, said that his hope of lifting the title was out of his hands and that he expected Gronholm to be on the pace in wales.
"I cannot affect Marcus's performance," Burns said. "All I can do is focus on my own performance. Marcus was the closest to me in Britain last year along with my team mate Juha Kankkunen and I'm sure he will be fast again." (Reuter)